Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. and Performance Designed Products LLC (PDP) today unveiled additional details about Rivals mode, one of two flagship features in Rock Band™ Rivals launching October 18 for PlayStation^®4 and Xbox One. PAX West attendees will be the first in the world to go hands-on with the all-new Rivals mode when they visit booth #1713.

Marking the much-anticipated return of online play to Rock Band, Rivals mode also represents the most dramatic shift to the Rock Band meta game since the franchise’s introduction in 2007. In Rivals Mode, players band together to form crews of up to ten people to take on other crews around the world in a structured and ongoing series of uniquely themed gameplay challenges. At the beginning of each challenge, crews will be assigned to one of six tiers. When a challenge ends, the best crews will ascend to a new tier, while underperforming crews will face demotion. As crews get promoted they’ll earn badges and face stiffer competition in their quest to earn their place amongst the elite in the highest tier – Bloodstone.

Rock Band Rivals challenges are made up of two distinct gameplay elements – Weekly Challenge Songs and Spotlight Songs. Crews looking to climb the leaderboard will need to focus on both if they want to succeed. Performance in weekly challenges is determined by the overall score earned by all crew members while playing qualifying songs. For example, in the challenge “I Want to Know What Love Is,” playing songs and artists with the word “love” in them will contribute to your crew’s Rivals score for the week. Spotlight Songs are an opportunity for Rock Band’s best players to show their stuff. Here, a crew’s Rivals score is determined by the single best performance achieved by the crew as a whole for each instrument. Balanced crews featuring elite singers, guitarists, bassists and drummers will have an advantage.

Rock Band Rivals will also introduce the first mobile companion app in Rock Band history. With the free Rock Band Rivals Companion App, players will be able to coordinate with their crews no matter where they are. Within the app players can access details about the weekly challenge, manage their crew roster, message other members of their crew and monitor their crew’s progress during weekly challenges.

“Rivals mode is our first step towards bringing the incredibly fun experience of playing Rock Band back online,” said Daniel Sussman, Rock Band product manager. “One of the best things about it is that crew members get to experience the camaraderie of playing together without any of the logistical challenges traditionally associated with synchronous online play: schedules, DLC compatibility and instrument selection. It’s an extremely flexible and rewarding way to play.”

Following the precedent set by Rock Band 4, Rock Band Rivals will be supported with regular, free updates following launch. Including the release of synchronous online multiplayer in December.
Pre-orders for Rock Band Rivals remain open at http://www.rockband4.com/. Players who pre-order will receive a ten-song bonus DLC pack for free at launch. Pre-order bonus songs* include:

• Bring Me The Horizon – “Happy Song”
• Capital Cities – “Safe and Sound”
• Eagle-Eye Cherry – “Save Tonight”
• The Neighbourhood – “Sweater Weather”
• Of Monsters And Men – “Little Talks”
• Pharrell Williams – “Happy”
• Semisonic – “Closing Time”
• Sia – “Chandelier”
• Skillet – “Feel Invincible”
• Weezer – “King of the World”

Additional pre-order bonuses, including additional bonus songs and custom guitar controllers, are available at select retailers. Visit http://www.rockband4.com/ for details.

*All pre-order bonus songs will eventually be available for purchase as DLC